Research synthesisLow evidenceSmall effect3 studies · 1 beneficial · 2 neutral · 0 harmful
Across 3 studies, 1 reported a small beneficial effect of cardamom on total cholesterol, while 2 found neutral results. The beneficial meta-analysis (2024) showed a statistically significant reduction of -8.56 mg/dL in total cholesterol (small effect size), but the other meta-analysis (2020) and an RCT (2019) found no significant effect. Median study duration was 90 days, and the most-studied dose was 3 g/day among overweight or obese NAFLD patients.
- Effective dose range: 3 g/day
- Studied populations: overweight or obese NAFLD patients
Caveats: Evidence base is small (only 3 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. Many of the included studies did not reach statistical significance — effect may be smaller than the predominant direction suggests. The beneficial result comes from one meta-analysis published in 2024, while two older studies show no effect, suggesting possible inconsistency or emerging evidence.
Generated Jul 3, 2026